The Grants Accelerator Program (GAP) was created to address historical inequities in the private philanthropy and government funding sector. World Arts West’s 2023-2025 research survey, funded by the Wallace Foundation, substantiates what we have known for decades: that while cultural dance companies continue to create work at the highest levels, and are crucial social supports for the communities they serve, they continue to be underfunded. The main findings showed that culturally specific dance organizations:
- have limited organizational infrastructure, threatening the sustainability of the sector
- are essential to the preservation of communities and their diasporic cultures
- face the devaluation of their community based art forms
- have an increased need for safe and affordable space
In the past decade and for the first time in the history of philanthropy, more grants are being administered by and awarded to historically excluded arts organizations and artists. In fact, in today’s grant and fellowship funding world, organizations and projects that are of, by, and for the communities they serve are the most successful in securing grant and fellowship funding. The Grants Accelerator Program provides tailored grant writing support to cultural dance companies, supporting them to write successful grant applications by offering a four component program:
- Monthly E-Newsletters - with program info, grants opportunities, and success stories
- Monthly Webinars/Labs - for deep dives into grants, questions, and community support
- One-on-One Coaching - to focus on individual grant proposals
- Proposal Reviews - direct feedback to make proposals compelling and competitive
GAP data over three years (2022, 2023, 2024) demonstrates how successful our approach has been:
- Total dollar amount of grants awarded: $1,380,717
- Total number of grants awarded: 57
- Average grant amount: $24,223
- Median grant amount: $15,000
- Mode grant amount: $5,000 (This was the most frequently awarded grant amount with 10 recipients. The next most awarded amount was $10,000 with 7 recipients, and then $50,000 with 6 recipients)
- Number of organizations/artists served: 23
- Number of cultural communities served: 16+
- Number of repeat participants: 10
- First time awardees: 3
A Little More History:
The GAP program, developed from a deep-seated passion for supporting cultural artists, was inspired by Dr. Anne Huang’s early experiences with Obakoso dance company, her career at Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and the realization that many talented artists were struggling to secure funding and resources. Recognizing the challenges faced by immigrant and cultural artists, Anne was driven by a vision to create a sustainable pathway for artists to thrive.
Since its founding, GAP has evolved into a robust empowerment program that supports economic growth for cultural artists. The pilot program has facilitated workshops, seminars, and one-on-one coaching sessions to equip artists with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complex world of grants funding. Now World Arts West is opening up this successful program and taking applications for the 2026 cohort.
With funding secured through 2026, GAP is poised to increase its impact by serving more artists and continuing its mission of cultural empowerment. By ensuring artists have access to resources, we move toward our long term goal of helping culture-bearers become integral players in shaping future policies and funding opportunities.
The GAP program, developed from a deep-seated passion for supporting cultural artists, was inspired by Dr. Anne Huang’s early experiences with Obakoso dance company, her career at Oakland Asian Cultural Center, and the realization that many talented artists were struggling to secure funding and resources. Recognizing the challenges faced by immigrant and cultural artists, Anne was driven by a vision to create a sustainable pathway for artists to thrive.
Since its founding, GAP has evolved into a robust empowerment program that supports economic growth for cultural artists. The pilot program has facilitated workshops, seminars, and one-on-one coaching sessions to equip artists with the necessary skills and knowledge to navigate the complex world of grants funding. Now World Arts West is opening up this successful program and taking applications for the 2026 cohort.
With funding secured through 2026, GAP is poised to increase its impact by serving more artists and continuing its mission of cultural empowerment. By ensuring artists have access to resources, we move toward our long term goal of helping culture-bearers become integral players in shaping future policies and funding opportunities.
World Arts West is looking for partners, sponsors, and funders to grow GAP and widen our impact throughout the cultural dance landscape, building more sustainable organizations. Our goals are to provide comprehensive preparation materials; serve more artists by creating an open application process; hire more staff; and provide post-award education for financial management.
There is a shortage of Grant Specialists serving the arts and culture field who have the necessary cultural competency to work productively with cultural artists and cultural organizations. Another part of our vision is to pilot a cohort of Grant Specialists that share identities with the organizations with whom they work.
Join us in this important work!
There is a shortage of Grant Specialists serving the arts and culture field who have the necessary cultural competency to work productively with cultural artists and cultural organizations. Another part of our vision is to pilot a cohort of Grant Specialists that share identities with the organizations with whom they work.
Join us in this important work!
The Grants Accelerator Program is part of World Arts West's Cultural Dance Sustainability Initiative (CDSI).
CDSI includes the following artist service programs:
As well as:
CDSI includes the following artist service programs:
- WAW Cultural Dance Catalyst Fund
- Grants Accelerator Program (GAP)
- Special Artist Commissions (SAC)
- Career Pathways Roundtable (CPR)
- Professional Development Workshops
As well as: